


Healing the Hurts

by Carerra_os



Series: Could Cry [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Billy Hargrove Lives, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Bisexual Tommy Hagan, Breaking Up & Making Up, F/F, M/M, Multi, Pining, Polyamory, Prequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:29:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25645837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carerra_os/pseuds/Carerra_os
Summary: Prequel to Could Cry PowerHow the three got together, broke up, and made up before Billy got into the mix.-“You’re friends with Steve again right?” Dustin asks through gasping breaths at the same time Erica pokes at Tommy’s stomach with a frown, Tommy smacks the hand away when she does it again feeling a little self-conscious.“You look like you could maybe do alright in a fight.” Her look and tone make it very clear that she barely believes that.“Does it matter? We don’t have a lot of options, we gotta save Steve and Robin!”“Save Steve from what?” Carol asks alarm filling her as she clutches at Tommy’s arm nails digging in. Dustin and Erica start talking over each other, leading the way down the hall to the secret elevator. Carol and Tommy only understand some of it, but they only need to know Steve is in danger to follow these two children into a secret underground base.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Steve Harrington/Carol Perkins, Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Tommy Hagan/Carol Perkins, Tommy Hagan/Steve Harrington, Tommy Hagan/Steve Harrington/Carol Perkins
Series: Could Cry [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858297
Kudos: 31





	Healing the Hurts

**Author's Note:**

> Prequel to Could Cry Power that all started because I could not stop thinking about how Carol ended up getting into pegging Steve and then it evolved into a backstory of their relationship. No smut in this chapter but it will come.
> 
> The events of Season 2 are a little muddled and for the most part events in general are merely glossed over. You have probably already seen the show you know what happens, you do not need the rehash.

**Healing the Hurts Part 1**

They are at a party in some nameless seniors’ house whose parents are never home. Tommy is watching from a plain lumpy couch as Carol and Steve sit in a circle with several other teens playing spin the bottle. When Carol spins the bottle and it lands on Steve, Tommy feels a spike of heat, anticipation making it impossible to turn away from what is about to happen.

Steve is startled when the bottle lands on him, eyes going big and wide like a deer caught in headlights. He glances at Tommy to see him staring, just watching the proceedings. Steve feels a flush creep over his cheeks under the intensity of that unreadable look. Steve flits his eyes back to Carol and feels pinned.

Carol smirks at him, crawls across the distance till she is right there waiting for him to do something. Carol smiles indulgently when he stays stock still worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. Steve is waiting on her, never been much of a leader, no matter how much of a show he puts into fooling other people.

"Okay Stevie, I'll take care of it." Carol whispers, tone warm and just the edge of something else that has heat pooling in Steve's stomach. She leans in pressing their lips together soft and gentle, leading him. Carol trails her hand to his hair pulling, Steve lets out an involuntary groan gripping Carol's hips when she climbs into his lap deepening the kiss.

Steve presses his face against her neck when she pulls away shame building when he whimpers. Cannot pull away, cannot stand the thought of anyone seeing him right now, cannot stand the thought of Tommy being mad at him. Tommy will take one look at him and just know, Tommy always knows things about Steve.

Carol keeps Steve close to her petting at his hair soothing, kindly not divulging to the room that he is half hard underneath his best friend's girlfriend from a single kiss. "Nothing wrong with a kiss between  _ friends _ Stevie." Carol whispers and the way she says it sounds like something, more, something different than the game. Makes that heat pooling in his stomach worse.

Steve shakes his head willing his erection down, it is not okay, Tommy is going to be pissed, Tommy is going to hate him, it twists the heat in his stomach sour. It makes a miserable little whine crawl up his throat as his hard on flags. 

Carol shushes him cooing a little, it helps, helps him build up the courage to peek from Carol's neck. Steve scans the room, no one is really paying them any mind to wrapped up in the game still, the circle has been shuffled to exclude the two of them. Steve worries at his lip looking for Tommy, stomach souring further as he finds him missing. 

Carol is looking down at him watching the play of emotions over his face. Worried, always so worried about displeasing people when he is not trying to front as the king of Hawkins High. Carol kisses at Steve's temple before standing and dragging him with her to get some punch.

"Don't worry Stevie, Tommy's not mad at you, even if he was he could never stay mad at you." Carol would know, she knows her boys best. Tommy's going to be more annoyed at Carol than he could ever be at Steve, she got to kiss Steve first after all.

Carol hands Steve a red plastic cup, lets him get through half of it before heading toward the bathroom. She is not surprised when Steve trails after her, always out of his element when her or Tommy are not around. Steve waits outside the door for her taking sips from his cup.

Steve gasps when he is dragged into a deserted bedroom and flinches as he finds himself in front of Tommy, the look in his eyes unreadable. Steve flinches a little more when Tommy makes an aborted movement, afraid he is going to be hit, afraid Tommy is angry. Steve opens his mouth to try and explain, to make an excuse for kissing Carol, he was just playing the game, he did not start it.

Tommy moves forward, swallows it down as he sinks his tongue into Steve's mouth, pressing him back till he can press Steve against the wall, hands roaming. Steve does not really know what to do, moaning as Tommy presses more firmly against him. Steve lets his hands settle against Tommy tentatively touching, afraid he might be dreaming or just drunk and hallucinating, or worse afraid this is some sort of trick to get back at him for kissing Carol.

When Tommy pulls back from Steve's mouth he tries to follow, but then Tommy is kissing at his neck and Steve lets his head fall back against the wall with a thunk moaning. Steve frowns, brain muddled because "Carol?" Tommy and Carol are dating, they are supposed to be kissing each other not Steve. Right?

"I'm right here Stevie." Carol calls her voice husky as she flicks the light switch on. It takes Steve a moment to focus in on her groaning as Tommy bites and sucks at his neck with abandon. Carol is leaned back against the closed door, eyes hooded as she watches them.

Steve is confused, mind foggy with lust unable to concentrate, moaning when Tommy wedges a leg between his thighs pressing right against Steve's dick. Steve is lost, so lost cannot help it as he ruts against that thigh. Steve wants to ask questions to say something but all that comes out is a whine and he flushes hot, embarrassed.

Tommy's hips jerk closer to Steve at the sounds coming from him. Shit Tommy has wanted to do this for ages, never thought it would be this easy, never thought Steve would be any sort of interested. He and Carol may talk about it all the time, especially in bed when they are fucking, but the reality is so much better. 

Carol sees the inner turmoil on Steve's face, can read him like a book and takes pity on him moving closer. Tommy is still working a necklace of hickeys across Steve's neck when Carol leans against the wall next to them. She drags Steve's face in her direction so they can make eye contact, pressing close till the tips of their noses are touching.

"Stevie, let us take care of you, we want to." Carol leans forward till their mouths meet, knowing they are getting what they want when Steve leans into it mewling.

It is the start of something, something good for all of them.

-

At first things are really great, Steve is happier than he can ever remember being but it does not last. Steve only gets to be with Tommy and Carol when they have all been drinking. Steve, he wishes, wishes it was more but sometimes when he does not think and reaches out to touch Tommy he flinches away. So Steve starts tucking his arms in close, taking what he can get, Carol still treats him the same when they are around other people, maybe even a little more affectionate and for a while that is enough. 

Until someone says something about Tommy sharing his girl and then Tommy starts pulling her away too. After that the only time Steve feels truly comfortable around them is in the dark when they have all been drinking garbage liquor, but in the morning light that comfort vanishes and it always leaves him feeling hollowed out. Steve keeps trying to pretend it is enough, that he does not need more, but he can only pretend that it does not hurt for so long.

Tommy does not mean for things to be this way. He honestly does not mean to push Steve away, he wants him, he wants to take care of him but he cannot stand the thought of their families finding out. Of his grandfather finding out that Tommy gets off the hardest when he is fucking into Steve while he fucks Carol. That sometimes he just likes to watch them. That sometimes he gets off to fingering Steve open while he goes down on Carol. That sometimes it is just Steve. His grandfather has disowned people for less, and Tommy is going to need him to pay for college after his dad's latest string of bad investments. 

So Tommy only crowds into Steve's space when they are drunk in relatively private places. Does not let Steve touch him, not even casually like they used to, pulls Carol away from him too, jealous he does not have the same freedoms as her. Tommy can see what it is doing to Steve, but he does not know how he can fix it without ruining his whole future.

Carol is not pleased with the shit Tommy is pulling, sees the wedge it is putting between them and Steve. Steve who continues to pull away because he would never expect to be put first or even for her or anyone to choose him, because not even his parents chose him and they made him. He tries to hide how much this all is hurting him, being kept at arms length except on the occasions where liquor flows. 

He is needier, slipping faster into that nonverbal place, crying easier, trying harder to please them, so desperate for their affection, so scared and whimpering when they break from him. It hurts Carol to see him this way, to know they are the cause, but she has not been able to talk sense into Tommy and Steve will not listen, hunching in on himself and tries to make a quick escape anytime she brings it up.

Carol warned Tommy, told him Steve would not sustain on just the scraps of attention he was getting, that he needed more. She was right and Tommy is just so fucking angry about it as he watches Steve moon over Nancy Wheeler. She is not good enough for him, but Steve starts sticking to her side, woos her. It does not help that Carol is just as livid and practically ignoring Tommy unless other people are around.

They are at a party, Tommy should be able to drag Steve off to a deserted room. Carol and he should be able to press close to Steve, touch Steve, get him naked and desperate. Only there has not been a single opportunity, Nancy sticks right by his side making anger coil tightly in Tommy's gut. Carol is practically fuming next to him, solo cup partly crushed as she drinks it glaring daggers at Nancy when Steve is not looking.

Steve barely hangs out with them anymore, definitely not alone, they have not gotten to touch him in weeks. He does not even seem happier and that makes Carol even angrier, the fact that Nancy apparently is not doing anything to make him feel better. It does not matter that Nancy would not be in the know, that Steve would never tell her about how deep their shared history goes, Carol knows when he needs something and Nancy is not even trying to fill that void, is not paying enough attention to see there is one.

They are with Steve at his house for once just the three of them a rare reprieve from his goody, goody new girlfriend. Steve is on the couch sipping a beer distracted, keeps checking the clock on the wall. Steve sputters when Carol suddenly straddles his lap, beer almost falling to the ground but Tommy is there hovering, catches it and sets the can down on a coaster.

"Carol what are you doing?" Steve's voice is stained, face pinched and flushing. 

"We've missed you Stevie." Carol says, sounds so sincere and it makes Steve ache. They cannot do this to him, it is not fair. 

Tommy frowns as he watches them, Steve's hands are in the air, they flutter unsure where to go before deciding to just stay up, to not touch. Tommy can see the hurt that flashes across Steve's face and he wants to break something.

"You've practically been with me all day." Steve tries for light joking, it feels strained. They have kept him at arms reach, so Steve moved his affections to someone who would let him get close, who would not push him away in public all of the time like a dirty secret. He has Nancy now, a good girl, the kind of girl his dad thinks is appropriate, they cannot do this.

"Stevie." Carol can read him so well and it hurts when she tries to comfort him only for his eye to tear up.

"Can we please not do this, Nancy is on her way over." Steve's voice is begging, hurt and Carol, Carol thought she could read but she had missed just how much they hurt him, how deep it goes, he looks broken.

"Stevie." Carol knows her own voice is strained, has tears of her own. Steve shakes his head, he makes an aborted move to get up but he pulls back refusing to touch. 

Tommy solves his problem, dragging Carol off of Steve, cannot stand seeing him like this. Cannot stand that they are the cause. That they hurt him so much, that they are still hurting him. Steve shoots up and is out of the room before Carol gets her bearings.

Tommy is not expecting the slap when she whirls around, he stands there blinking it stings but nothing hurts as much as knowing he hurt Steve. "I told you this would happen, I told you!” She is crying and that, that is a close kind of hurt. 

It takes a few tries, a few hits, none of them as hard as the slap, Carol is not actually trying to hurt him just wants to refuse him. But Tommy knows she wants comfort and usually it is Steve she would seek it from but all she has right now is Tommy and he is not going to let her bear this pain alone. So when he finally manages to fold his arms around her he pulls her close and lets her cry against his chest as tears of his own slide down his face.

"You ruined everything!" Carol sobs.

"I know." Tommy presses his face into Carol's hair as his own sobs come and they hold each other, feeling hollowed out at the knowledge that Steve is somewhere upstairs crying by himself.

They do not leave, not even when Steve finally comes back down, eyes red rimmed to answer the door and let Nancy and Barb in. Instead they go out by the pool with the others and try to drink their pains away and pretend that they are not watching Steve the whole time.

-

Everything starts falling apart after that and nothing they say or do helps. Steve changes after Barb goes missing, and Tommy and Carol do not know if it is because of them, because of her, or because of whatever goes down between Nancy, Byers and him. 

They definitely do not handle things well with Steve and Nancy. It is hard to pretend they like her, that they are not resentful, are not jealous that she gets to be as close as she wants to Steve, that they are not livid when she chooses to get closer to Johnathan. They have an argument, then another, and another and then they only get to see Steve at school.

Steve may have stopped talking to them but they have not stopped watching him. Watching as Nancy hurts him, as she consistently pulls away from him. They see the shadows in his eyes when Barb's case turns from a missing person to a cold case, because the Hawkins police are no longer looking into it. He puts on a different show now, does not bother trying to be king Steve anymore, all his effort goes into pretending that he is fine, and it is a good act, but not good enough, it does not hide anything from Carol and Tommy.

Steve told them they were miserable once, and he was right. Tommy doubts Steve understands that they are miserable because they do not have him, would never assume he has that kind of power over anyone, it has only gotten worse since Tommy pinned him to a car and threatened violence. They may have each other still but it is not enough, not after knowing what it is like to have Steve with them too. They still cling to each other but there is a lot more tension pulling them both tight.

Summer comes and goes, Steve is still with Nancy, somehow. It does not make any sense to Carol, she can see Wheeler and Byers circling each other, can see how much distance Nancy keeps putting between her and Steve. She is repeating Carol and Tommy's mistake and it eats at Carol, she just wants to beat some sense into her.

With the new school year comes Billy Hargrove and as soon as he sees Steve it is like there is a tether jerking Billy in his direction at every turn. It annoys Tommy, who plays the part of jilted friend egging Billy on when he teases Steve. Tommy and Billy become friends, kind of, Billy is on the aggressive side, can be difficult. He only really seems interested in two things, partying and Steve. 

So Tommy sticks by Billy's side unwilling to leave Steve that vulnerable to someone so volatile. Tommy breaks the tension constantly as anger coils in him with the way Steve and Billy sort of orbit one another. 

Carol thinks it is kind of cute, that maybe Billy could be good for Steve, God knows things are not going well between him and Nancy. Tommy especially does not like it when she talks like that, like any one is ever going to be good enough for Steve, like anyone but them could ever possibly give Steve what he needs.

-

"He likes him, he just doesn't know how to deal with it and is pissed about it." Carol says casually and Tommy glowers at her as he crunches a carrot, he misses Steve, if he were here Tommy would have two servings of potato instead of under cooked carrots because Steve always traded with him.

Tommy scoffs, glancing over to where Billy is talking to some girl. He is doing the tongue thing, it is so dumb Tommy hates it, hates it the most when Billy is wagging it at Steve. Of course that is the moment Steve comes out of the side door and Billy is watching him like a hawk as he licks over his mouth. Tommy accidentally flings carrot onto the grass.

"He just likes annoying Steve." Tommy lies, wants it to be true but he sees it, the hungry looks Billy sends Steve in the showers, the looks Steve never notices because he has never noticed things like that.

"He orbits Steve just the same as us." Carol says, looking a little uncomfortable. Tommy tears his eyes away from Billy trying to get a rise out of Steve, focusing on Carol.

"What's wrong?" Tommy slides his hand across the table and grabs her hand, holding it tight. 

"Billy has a better chance of getting Steve, he hasn't fucked it up like we have." Tommy feels jealousy burning through him, sees Billy shove Steve only for Nancy to get between them and scoffs.

"Guaranteed he is going to fuck up any chance, Steve doesn't even realize Billy's is interested, he is never going to respond to that sort of interest, plus he's still wrapped around goody, goody, and Billy is a ticking time bomb." Tommy smirks at her even as his eyes trail Steve leaving with Nancy. 

-

When it looks like Nancy is cheating on Steve with Johnathan Byers they think for one blissful moment that he is going to come back to them. He does not, even when Nancy and Steve break up things do not go back to how they were.

For a moment Tommy and Carol think now is their chance but Steve is even more withdrawn. They see him whispering with Byers and Wheeler from time to time despite the fact that by all accounts Johnathan stole Nancy from him and beat him up. 

At one point they think maybe, maybe he is getting the same treatment from them that Tommy and Carol had put him through. Carol is sure that is not the case though, the couple much to invested in one another and Steve still much too sad to be getting the slightest bit of the attention he deserves. Nothing points to anything other than a friendship between the three.

-

Tommy is right Billy does fuck up any chance he could have had with Steve. Tommy overhears Steve's pack of kids complaining about what the asshole did to Steve, about threatening them. There are some other things that Tommy does not understand, talk of demodogs and tunnels and possession. 

Tommy focuses on the pertinent things that he understands, he and Carol will get down to the bottom of the rest later. Tommy knows Steve can forgive his own bodily harm, it is obvious from his continued friendly attitude with Byers, but going after those kids, well Steve has always been protective of kids even before he got a pack of them looking at him like he is their mama.

Tommy wants to pummel Billy when he gets a look at Steve's face in school a few days after Billy shows up looking worse for wear. Instead he plays his part and makes agreeing noises when one of the other guys from the basketball team congratulates Billy on putting Steve in his place. Tommy does not miss the guilty look that crosses Billy features, feels vindictive. 

Carol looks like she might cry, when she gets a look at Steve, it looks bad. Steve's never won a fight in his life and this was clearly no exception. His lip is swollen a black eyes, he is more black and blue than anything. Carol wants to get close and check on Steve but Nancy and Johnathan spend every day that week hovering close. They do not draw back into each other till most of the swelling has dissipated. 

Outside of gym class Billy does not go anywhere near Steve just shoots him guilty confused looks. During though, he is just as all over Steve, maybe even more so, hands touching and grinding against him in a way that is definitely against regulation. Tommy is both glad and disappointed when Steve quits basketball, it is less time Tommy gets to see him but it is also less time Steve spends around Billy.

Carol keeps an eyes on Steve when he ditches basketball, watches him go wait for the kids every day. She does not like how isolated he is, with Johnathan and Nancy all wrapped up in each other. The only human interaction he seems to get outside of school is those kids. He looks even more haunted than after Barb's death, the bags darker under his eyes than she has ever seen them.

They watch him at school, he is shifty, flitting always any time it seems like they are going to get close and it eats at the both of them. He does not talk to anyone more than he has to, does not linger in the halls, does not eat just pushes the food around his tray. 

Graduation comes and they fear they have missed any chance as they look for him after the ceremony but he has just disappeared. They had not missed the lack of Steve's parents in the crowd.

They do not see him again until Carol is at the new mall and spots him in an outfit that should not be cute, but on Steve it is. Carol drags Tommy to the ice cream parlor the next day and though Steve looks like he wants to run away but resigned to his fate, he quickly switches to a customer service smile and gives them the spiel. They do not draw it out quickly ordering they take a corner booth far enough away that Steve will not overhear them as they watch him.

"I overheard Byers and Wheeler talking that Steve didn't get into any of the colleges his parents wanted and his dad forced him to get a job but I thought it was going to be at his office not here." Carol says twirling her spoon through the chocolate chunk ice cream in her bowl.

"His dad is always looking for some new way to fuck with him." Tommy grumbles eyes tracking Steve who spent the first ten minutes being flustered at their presence before forgetting about them in lieu of the crowd that came with the lunch rush. A second employee comes out, laughs at Steve and then starts helping.

Tommy lets out an audible groan when Steve bends over in his short little uniform and Carol muffles a laugh kicking him under the table as they get looks from a nearby mom trying to organize her rowdy kids. "It's tacky but, it's also kind of hot." Carol whispers fingers trailing along Tommy's thigh.

"Shut up." Tommy grumbles flushing as he tries to will his boner away. Carol just eases from his side to take their trash up to the front laughing. Robin the second employee eyes her with suspicion but seems pleased she did not have to come and pick up after them. Steve has disappeared into the back, he does not show back up before they leave.

-

Tommy and Carol keep coming in each day and slowly Steve loses that resignation, the tension that shot through him the first day at them seeing him in this embarrassing outfit. He has missed them honestly but it is hard, knowing what they all had. He had tried with Nancy but she just, she just was not what he really wanted and then Johnathan was there and Steve was not what she wanted either. 

Steve hears the rumors and he feels bad for the light they paint Nancy in but he is just so tired. He tried to ignore the upside down only for it to come right back into his life and now he cannot sleep without it haunting him. He longs for Carol and Tommy back, for the safety he felt with them, for the only people that actually understand what he wants, what he needs. But they do not know about the upside down and Steve does not know how to tell them.

They ease right back into friendly though even with Steve's guard up, not that it is up very far he has never been able to hold a grudge. He is still hurt by them pushing him away though and any time they reach to close he shuffles into the back with an excuse to hide, Robin eyeing him with suspicions. 

When Tommy's grandfather passes and his grandmother reveals her secret girlfriend of the last fifteen years Tommy feels like a weight has been lifted. He and Carol are already working to get Steve back but now they can take him on dates, and show him off instead of hiding him like a dirty secret. They can give Steve everything he wants, everything he craves, everything he needs.

It is late nearly time for the mall to close when they head there searching for Steve after not finding him at home, too excited to wait. Technically Scoops is already closed but Steve’s car is still in the lot when they arrive. The doors are locked though, the only people still inside, employees and movie theater patrons that got tickets for the last showings. They make their way around back, it is surprisingly easy to slip in, an employee leaving a door propped open after their smoke break. 

They both huff when they get to Scoops, the back door into the shop unlocked but they find the place empty. Frowning they decide to head on to the movie theater, maybe Steve snuck in there with the kids this time, they have seen him letting them sneak over there often. They are just passing the Gap when Eric and Dustin come running down the hall, skidding past them before Dustin is backtracking, panting and hunched over. 

“You’re friends with Steve again right?” Dustin asks through gasping breaths at the same time Erica pokes at Tommy’s stomach with a frown, Tommy smacks the hand away when she does it again feeling a little self-conscious. 

“You look like you could maybe do alright in a fight.” Her look and tone make it very clear that she barely believes that.

“Does it matter? We don’t have a lot of options, we gotta save Steve and Robin!”

“Save Steve from what?” Carol asks alarm filling her as she clutches at Tommy’s arm nails digging in. Dustin and Erica start talking over each other, leading the way down the hall to the secret elevator. Carol and Tommy only understand some of it, but they only need to know Steve is in danger to follow these two children into a secret underground base. 

-

They grab Steve and Robin and head for the exit after Erica decides to melt the floor, they still have a lot of questions, even more questions now that they have seen a literal tear in this dimension, secret Russian base under Hawkins, and floor melting goo. Dustin tries to explain it but his story keeps jumping around and they really do not have the time for anything more complex. Steve and Robin are both giggly messes, making it difficult to get them out, Tommy has to just pick Steve up, while Dustin and Carol help Robin through the corridors. 

Steve is clinging, face pressing in against Tommy’s neck and it is a little distracting but Tommy makes an effort to not focus on the hot breath ghosting across his neck. As soon as Robin has been deposited safely in the elevator Carol is right next to them, Steve’s head pillowed in her lap when Tommy lowers him. Tommy sticks close despite the kids, Erica is definitely giving them suspicious and judging looks. Tommy resists the urge to flip her off.

Steve rolls and presses his face into Carol's stomach as she cards her hands through his hair. Blood is seeping into her shirt from his battered face and Carol clenches a hand around Tommy’s angry they did not get there sooner, angry that Steve was in this situation to begin with, that they could not protect him.

Steve is not sure what is real or not, everything holding a hazy glow as the drugs work through him. He is not sure he is really here, that he has Tommy and Carol close, but he knows he does not want them to stop touching him. He has missed them so much, this probably is not even real, it is probably just the drugs, Steve’s eyes wet.

Tommy has a hand on his knee out of view from the others firm and secure, he gives a tight squeeze when Steve whines low against Carol’s stomach. One of Steve’s arms curled around Carol’s back the other reaching out blindly for Tommy. Tommy does not leave him waiting, grabs his hand and holds tightly, lacing their fingers together and glaring Dustin down when it looks like he has something to say about it. 

Dustin keeps his mouth shut, but he looks like he has a lot of questions, Carol just hopes he does not say anything to upset Steve when he finally gets the chance to ask them.

They are cut off from leaving, under covers Russian’s form the base on the lookout for them, and they end up hiding out in the movie theater. Carol and Tommy leave Steve, with directions to Erica to keep an eye on him and Robin as they follow after Dustin not trusting him to find batteries on his own, ignoring the offended scoff he makes when they say as much. When they get back and find Steve missing panic ratchets up in them again.

They split from the kids looking for Steve and Robin, and they find them in a bathroom stall cramped onto the floor of one. Steve marks grabby hands at them as soon as he spots them using his legs to push out of the stall toward them. Robin is watching them, mind a little less hazy from drugs and she definitely gets why Steve did not bat an eye after she told him about liking girls, even if he was slow on the uptake. 

Tommy and Carol ignore Robin curling around Steve when he starts whining again, hands clutching at the back of their shirts trying to keep them close. “It’s okay Stevie we’ve got you.” Tommy whispers against Steve’s hair, his own hands holding tight, Carol murmurs similar things where she presses her face against Steve’s neck. “You’re going to be alright.”

“I’m sorry.” Steve's voice is wet and raw as he croaks against Tommy’s chest, and Tommy feels like shit. None of this is Steve’s fault, Tommy pushed him away and kept pushing till he broke. Tommy does not say anything thought just holds Steve even tighter.

“Not your fault baby.” Carol murmurs for the both of them her own eyes wet and leaking down Steve’s neck.

“I was pretty sure something was going on between the three of you.” Robin says smugly with a little giggle, and Tommy and Carol just shrug.

-

Tommy reigns the touching in when they meet up with the rest of the party, and he is baffled by the chief of police being in the know about all of this, he is having trouble wrapping his mind around El. All three of them are, and Steve summing it up like it is so simple just baffles even more, until Tommy realizes pieces sliding into place from the half ass explanation that Dustin gave that Steve has known about this for years now. 

Carol still has her arms wrapped around Steve ignoring any questioning looks, he is not forcing her way, she is not going anywhere. She sends a warning glare at Tommy when Steve reaches out for him and he almost makes the mistake of pulling back. Has to remind himself that his grandmother will not care, hell she will probably be delighted she loves Steve, and he does not have to worry about his future just because he wants Steve and Carol. 

Tommy glares down anyone who gives them a curious look as he lets Steve curl a hand around his bicep and pull him closer. Luckily no one has time to question what is going on when them and then they are all splitting up. Carol and Tommy refuse to leave Steve’s side. They go with Steve when Erica and Dustin need to get to the antenna in the middle of nowhere. 

They do not let Steve head back on his own either piling into the car with him, Tommy taking the wheel. Hearing about Billy being possessed and seeing proof are two different things, do not even get him started on the giant monster. Things happen fast after that, running and hiding, fireworks exploding as they throw them at an interdenominational monster. They watch Billy get impaled after fighting off his possession to save some kid he does not even know before the monster starts screeching and wilting and then the military is swooping in. It is a long night. 

-

They take Steve home with them, he has a concussion and the doctors want him woken up every hour just in case. No one fights them for it, no one follows up on Steve’s well being but them, everyone else wrapped up in each other and the kids’ parents swooping in and taking them home. Leaving Steve with no one, because his parents are half way across the world on some trip and they will not hear about this till they get back. Steve has them back now though, and they are not going anywhere.

Tommy drives the three of them to Steve’s house, Steve turning all of the lights on when they come in, a new habit, because a monster came through his pool and killed a girl. He disappears upstairs Carol trailing after him to keep an eye on him, and Tommy rummages through the kitchen looking for food. From what Dustin said he is pretty sure Steve has not eaten in the last twenty four hours, from the looks of the barren kitchen maybe longer. Tommy settles on ordering take out before heading upstairs himself. 

The shower is off and Steve is out, towel low around his waist, bruises flowering across his pale skin. He is seated on the closed toilet lip Carol fussing at his wounds and rebandaging the cuts on his face. “We’re going to talk about all of this.” Tommy says as he leans in the doorway, watching as Steve flinches when Carol smooths antiseptic over a particularly nasty stretch of broken skin.

“Not tonight.” Steve’s hands are clenched in the damp towel covering him, not touching now that the drugs are not so prevalent in his system.

“No, not tonight.” Tommy moves into the bathroom, and squats down next to Steve, reaching out and grabbing his hands, twining their fingers together. “Soon though and you’re going to tell us everything.”

Carol nods her head when Steve turns watery eyes up at her, lets him press his swollen face against her stomach as once again tears drip down his face. She tosses the bandages and antiseptics on the counter and curls her arms around him. “Okay.” He whispers against the shirt she took from his bottom drawer while he was in the shower.

When the pizza arrives, Tommy goes down to get it while Steve gets dressed, Carol still sticking close and then bundling him up on the couch. Steve does not really talk and they do not force it, he has had a rough night, a rough couple of days, both of them nudging his plate when he keeps putting the slice back down after only a bite. 

Steve refuses anymore after the first slice, he is nauseated and things are swimming again. He leans into it when Carol cards her hands through his hair, being gentle of his sore spots. It feels nice, familiar and he has missed this so much.

Carol scoots to the arm of the couch hand in Steve’s hair leading him to put his head in her lap and he goes down easily, it is right where he wants to be. The only thing that would be better would be his legs stretched out, he flexes his toes on the carpet thinking, over thinking and worrying that putting his legs across Tommy would be pushing for too much. Worried that they are just being nice, that it is just pity.

Tommy can see Steve working himself up, and he is not sure what it is about till Carol keeps looking between him and Steve’s long legs planted on the ground flexing as he curls his toes aggressively against the carpet. “Feet up Stevie.” Tommy says hand on Steve’s hip as he pats his own thigh before scooting to the other arm of the couch so Steve has room to stretch out. 

“Go on Stevie, we’ll wake you when it’s time.” Carol encourages hand stroking down over Steve’s neck, giving it a gentle squeeze to reassure him. Steve hesitates a few seconds more before bringing his legs up, stretching them out he lets his feet settle in Tommy’s lap. Carol and Tommy work together to tuck the blanket in around him, and Tommy lets his hands settle on Steve’s feet rubbing at them as Steve hums in appreciation finally relaxing. 

-

They do not leave Steve's side for three whole days, Carol and Tommy. Neither of them have anything better to do, not working before school starts in the fall, and nothing they would rather do than stay close to Steve. It is like things are back to the way they were before that party where they all got together, almost. Steve still hesitates to touch on his own, still seems unsure even when Tommy pulls him in close. Tommy hates it, especially the ease with which he lets Carol close again because she never actively pushed him away, that was all Tommy. 

Steve is not sure what to do with Tommy and Carol still at his house, still staying close. He likes it, has missed them desperately but he is on edge, waiting for the shoe to drop, waiting for them to decide they have had enough of being close, waiting for the pull away. He hesitates at every touch, leading or otherwise, it is easier with Carol to lean into it, she is always so confident, but Tommy hesitates each time and it sours Steve’s stomach.

Carol is glad Steve takes the comfort she offers so easily, even if he still comes of scared most of the time, especially when Tommy gets close. She gets it, she does but she also just wants to pull him close and kiss away his fear reassure him that they are not going to hurt him again. Neither she nor Tommy know how to do that at the moment though, not with everything else going on, not after the explanation of the last two years is made. 

Instead when Steve cries about Barb and that night in the tunnels, tells them how scared he was, they just hold him close. Desperately trying to comfort him without pushing their own desires onto him, they just want to take care of him and they will do it however he needs. 

-

Carol wakes up curls against Tommy's side hand reaching out looking for Steve and coming up empty, she frowns untangling herself and getting up. She grabs a sweater out of Steve’s closet, tossing it on and heading downstairs. She finds Steve up and dressed already, pulling on shoes by the door. 

“Where are you going?” Carol asks worriedly, where could he possibly have to be. It has only been a few days, and he still winces every time he makes an expression, his cheekbone cracked and pain radiating through his whole face on top of all the other damage. Steve glances up at her, the creaking floorboard of the bottom step keeping her approach from surprising him. 

“Max called, Billy is on life support but alive and she needs a ride to the hospital.” Steve answers voice soft eyes back on the floor as he ties his laces.

“Why did she call you?” Carol asks, she does not want him to go. The bubble they have going, the growing ease could pop. She wants Billy to be okay, they are friends kind of, but she has also seen the way they look at one another despite that horrible night last year, she does not want to lose Steve.

“I don’t know but I want to see him.” Tommy makes a noise behind her drawing Carol’s attention and she glares at him as she sucks her teeth. 

“Do you want us to come with?” Carol asks, stepping on Tommy’s toes when it looks like he might say something against going. Steve makes a noncommittal shrug, bottom lip caught between his teeth as he rubs at the back of his neck and Carol knows he wants them there but will not ask them to go. “Eat some breakfast and we’ll go get ready, won’t be long Stevie.” Carol assures dragging Tommy upstairs when Steve gives a little thankful smile before heading toward the kitchen. 

“I don’t want to go.” Tommy hisses when Carol pushes him into the bathroom and the door is firmly closed.

“Billy is your friend, don’t you want to see how he is doing?” Carol asks as she starts the water even knowing that is not the issue here.

“Of course I want to make sure he’s alright, he’s an asshole but we're still friends.” Tommy grouches as they both start stripping. “I don’t want Steve to go, hasn’t he been through enough, he doesn't need to be there.” Billy went and did the one thing that could win Steve over after what he did, sacrificed himself for one of those kids Steve cares so much about. It scares Tommy he does not want to lose Steve, not when it seems like they might get him back. 

“He wants to be there, and you’re not going to be a dick about it and drive a wedge between Steve and us again.” Carol's voice is hard when she follows Tommy into the shower, hand going way too tight on his dick when he makes a grumbling noise instead of reassuring her. “What was that baby, couldn’t quite hear you.” Carol’s grip goes even tighter, voice dripping threat.

“Fuck, no I’m not going to, let go!” Tommy yelps, pouting and curling protectively in on himself when his dick is finally freed. “You’re so mean.” Tommy pouts ignoring Carol’s smirk, they both know he is into it when she takes charge like that, his dick half chubbed despite the lingering pain. 

“Wash up, no time to play this morning. Maybe if you're good I’ll reward you later.” Carol offers with a grin over her shoulder as she starts soaping up. 

-

Steve looks stricken at the hospital when he sees Billy, tubes and monitors attached all over, Max clutching at his side for support. Carol and Tommy stay back a little both more affected than they thought they would be seeing Billy like this, he had technically died just last week. Carol and Tommy stay with them the entire time, and hold Steve when he lets himself get worked up about Billy after dropping Max back at home. 

They go with Steve a few times to the hospital, before life starts getting in the way. Both of them have classes coming up in the fall they need to set up for, and an apartment to secure, one they hope to have Steve in. They stay around Steve as much as they can but the first week of classes they are so busy neither one of them sees him. 

Billy has woken up, still weak and sleeping more often than not, but Steve spends all of his time not at work at Billy’s beside. Without Carol and Tommy around, sleep is hard to come by, he wakes from nightmares more often than not, but the steady beeps of the machines in Billy’s room give him some comfort. So he is practically living at Billy’s beside missing Carol and Tommy and worrying over Billy’s health.

-

It has been two weeks since they have seen Steve, tired most nights after class and their apartment together, getting everything ready, hoping Steve will like the apartment and will want to stay with them. They check his house first, and then family video when he is not there. Robin looks at them with disapproval when they walk in, and Carol feels her hackles rising.

“Where the hell have you two been?” Robin is glaring at them, arms crossed and Tommy is not sure what her problem is but he matches her glare, sure her ire is unjustified.

“What’s it to you?” Carol asks, eyes scanning for Steve but only spotting Keith in the corner putting away videos, no sign of anyone else not even customers.

“You can’t just come into his life and ditch again.” Robin hisses voice pitched low to keep their conversation private, and it draws them both up short.

“What?” Tommy asks, confused by the call out a little prickling of that old fear trying to settle in his chest, but he does not have to be afraid of anyone knowing about them and Steve anymore and he pushes it down. 

Carol chews her lips as worry settles in, because Steve, Robin is obviously talking about Steve. Now that she is giving the other woman her full attention, she notes the worry in her, the tension in her brow. “Steve.” Carol breathes out, hand curling around Tommy’s bicep, they have not seen him in two weeks, they thought he would be okay, but given Robin’s ire they were clearly wrong.

“Where is Steve?” Tommy demands, voice high and glaring at Keith when it draws his attention.

“He’s at the hospital, has barely left it since the two of you decided to go back to ignoring him.”

“We weren’t ignoring him.” Tommy grits out, they were not, they just wanted to get things set up, get a schedule in order, get to know the place, get to know where they could take Steve on a real date.

“Does he know that?” Robin counters tone mocking as she leans across the counter.

Tommy opens his mouth to argue, but he just keeps opening and closing it because they had not told him what they were up to, they had wanted it to be a surprise. Had told him they would see him in a couple days, had meant three not fifteen. “Shit.” Carol curses her hand going tighter on Tommy's arm, he slides his own hand over hers trying to offer comfort. 

“You better be on your way to fix this!” Robin shouts after them, as Tommy drags Carol out of Family Video flipping off Keith for no reason other than he is looking in their direction.

-

Steve feels all hallowed out and wrong footed again, Carol and Tommy had said they would be back in a few days, but they had not been back, had not even called. He feels like an idiot for letting his hopes get up, for letting himself think maybe, maybe they still want him. It had just been so nice having them around, he had been able to sleep without so many nightmares, soothed back to sleep by their presences. While nothing romantic in nature took place, it had given him hope that maybe, they wanted that back too.

It has been two weeks though and Steve just feels like he has been rejected all over again, only this time he did not have a hand in it. This time they just left without even a word that they were really going, just a false promise giving him false hope and Steve hates how stupid he feels over it. He should know better than to get his hopes up that someone would stick around, everyone leaves. His parents, Nancy, Tommy and Carol, and one day the kids will realize he is bullshit and leave him behind too. 

“Why are you crying pretty boy?” Billy rasps from the bed when he blinks awake glad they finally took the tube out, even if it hurts to talk. He does not like that Steve is crying, likes it even less when Steve screws his face up and tries to rub them away.

“I’m not crying.” Steve denies, voice wet and nasally, and the soaked sleeve where he tries to hide them give him away but Billy does not press even though he desperately wants to know, wants to fix it, he does not want Steve crying, he has seen enough of his tears.

“Okay pretty boy, pull your chair up closer and tell me about your day, been bored out of my gored in here.” Billy offers a little flutter in his chest at the smile Steve sends him, pleased when Steve moves closer.

Steve likes this version of Billy a lot better from the one back in high school, the one who beat his face in. He is nicer most of the time, a little more himself with each passing day, as his strength returns but less mean, less venom more just poking fun. Steve finds sitting at Billy’s beside the best part of his day now that it is just him again, he likes it best when it is just the two of them. 

Steve is still talking telling Billy about a particularly shitty customer when Billy drops off to sleep again, cannot seem to stay awake too long but he manages longer and longer each time. Steve smiles softly and gets up flipping the lights to low before tucking Billy in. Billy is soft like this, has been softer since he woke up after almost dying but when he is sleeping all his hard edges melt away. Steve likes to count the freckles that dust his cheeks when he cannot sleep sometimes.

Tommy and Carol have been watching for the last few minutes from the doorway, watching the tender care Steve takes as he tucks Billy in, hand brushing his cheek as Steve tucks a curl behind his ear. Jealousy burns in Tommy, Carol’s hand holding his tightly keeps him grounded, but it is there, because Billy did it, Bill managed to do the one thing that would make Steve forgive any other wrongdoings.

“So you really like this ratty asshole?” Tommy asks from the doorway and regrets it as Steve flinches and twists to look at them, going nervous and uncomfortable the way he used to go when Tommy would pull Carol away from him in public. It sets ice in Tommy stomach, Steve has viable bags under his eyes, looks thinner since they last saw him.

“What do you want, if you came down here to mock me you can fucking leave.” Steve hates the shake in his voice. He is so glad to see them but also, scared that they have just come to make it official, come to tell him the last few weeks did not mean anything, that they do not want anything to do with him. Steve unconsciously moves closer to Billy in his hospital bed, taking comfort as he twists his fingers in the sheets by Billy’s hand who sleeps on undisturbed by them.

“Oh Stevie we, didn’t we didn’t” Carol elbows Tommy in the stomach as she lets go of his hand moving to Steve and at least he lets her close, Tommy is pretty sure Steve would have backed away from him if he tried the same thing right now. 

“Sorry.” He is not sorry for his words. He really means sorry I drove us to this, sorry I pushed you away, sorry I do not always think before I open my mouth. He is only a little jealous when Steve lets Carol wrap her arms around him, when he bends and lets his head drop to her hair as she rubs at his back, his own arms wrapping around her. He wants to be part of that, he wants them both closer, so he can wrap them in his arms.

“Why are you guys here, aren’t you supposed to be in the city.” Steve asks and Carol can feel him shaking, can feel the way he clings to her, and how much damage they caused by not clearing everything up before they left, by not keeping in touch while they were gone. 

“We came for you baby,” Carol does not miss the little muffled noise Steve makes in her hair at the endearment, just holds him tighter. “We didn’t mean to leave you so long. When's the last time you went home, the last time you ate?” Carol asks, he looked like he lost weight from the door and with her arms around him she knows it was not just the light playing tricks on her. 

Tommy looks around the room, and his stomach rolls with worry at the little bag by the table. He knows that bag, Steve used to bring it over to his place when they would have sleepovers before everything got messed up. He could maybe chalk it up as Steve giving it to Max so she could bring Billy some of his things if it was not for the green uniform vest poking out of it. “You can’t live out of this hospital room, let us take you home.”

“I don’t want to be alone.” Steve whispers into Carol’s hair.

“You won’t be, come home with us?” Carol asks, as she watches Tommy grab the bag, a bag she recognizes too. “Please Stevie, we can get some food and talk?” Steve makes another noise, a distressed one this time and Carol shushes him. “Nothing bad baby, just want to talk about the further, about the three of us.” 

Steve pulls away from Carol chewing on his lip as he looks into her eyes, glancing at Tommy back by the door looking hopeful. Steve nods, that, that sounds good, that does not sound like they are leaving him again, does not sound like bullshit. Steve’s jaw cracks as a yawn rips through him, hope in his heart.

“Maybe we’ll save the talk for the morning, let’s get some food and some sleep first.” Carol pulls Steve to the door, Tommy holding it open for them, Steve glances back at Billy checking on him on last time as he goes with her.

“There is a great Chinese place by the apartment, or a this little Greek place is open late, it’s really good to.” Tommy says as they reach him, and this time when he reaches for Steve he does not hesitate, arm going around Steve’s shoulders and pulling him into his side. Steve goes tense for half a second before leaning into it, practically melting with a shrug. Carol smiles up at Tommy from where she has her arms wrapped around Steve’s other arm, happy to be taking him home.

**-TBC**

**Author's Note:**

> https://ghostofjellyfishforgotten.tumblr.com/


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